Bangladesh Photographer Ismail Ferdous Is On A Quest To Capture The World's Stories

Documentary photography was an unlikely career path for 26-year-old Bangladeshi Ismail Ferdous, who was studying business in college when he stumbled across the art.

"I realized that photography is a language... through which I can express what I am interested in, ask questions about others and share people’s stories," he told The WorldPost by email.

Ferdous is using this language to craft powerful stories from Bangladesh and around the world -- about topics ranging from violence against women in Guatemala to refugees on the Syria-Turkey border. His long-term project The Cost of Fashion documents the aftermath of the 2013 Rana Plaza factory collapse, which left over 1,100 people dead. Since covering the tragedy, he is passionate about raising awareness of the conditions in the garment industry.

His work is not always easy. "Being a photographer from Bangladesh has always been hard for me," he said. There are limited resources for photographers in Bangladesh, where it's not always a respected profession, Ferdous said, noting that international visas can also be a challenge.

But it is his passion. "Photography is a great and challenging journey [and] I believe there is no end to this journey," he said. "I believe you should always be learning something new, discovering new ways to observe the world around you and facing new challenges. In that way, it’s a quest you will never be bored with."